Cerberus: Difference between revisions

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Cerberus Phone Antitheft is an app designed to be a suite of services centered on security.

{{ProductLineCargo

|ArticleType=Product

|Category=Software, Security

|Company=LSDroid

|Description=Cerberus Phone Antitheft is an app designed to be a suite of services centered on security, developed by LSDroid.

|InProduction=Yes

|Logo=Cerberus logo.png

|ReleaseYear=2011

|Website=https://www.cerberusapp.com

}}

Cerberus Phone Antitheft<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cerberus: Anti-theft, Phone tracker, MDM, Personal safety |url=https://www.cerberusapp.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260122104009/https://www.cerberusapp.com/ |archive-date=22 Jan 2026 |website=www.cerberusapp.com}}</ref> is an app designed to be a suite of services centered on security, developed by LSDroid.

== Anti-consumer practices ==

==Anti-consumer practices==

Recently the application has faced controversy over expiring licenses that were sold as being "lifetime", and are alleged to delete complaints from forum. The company started by cancelling free subscriptions, but complaints of it cancelling paid lifetime subscriptions have recently been reported.<ref>https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/12/21/cerberus-paid-lifetime-license-expiration.</ref>

== ~~References~~ ==

===Expiring lifetime licenses (201x)===

<~~references~~ />

The application has faced controversy over expiring licenses that were sold as being "lifetime", and are alleged to delete complaints from forum.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vonau |first=Manuel |date=Dec 21, 2019 |title=Paid Cerberus 'lifetime' licenses are expiring, customers are mad (Update: Complaints deleted from forum) |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/12/21/cerberus-paid-lifetime-license-expiration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251212200020/https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/12/21/cerberus-paid-lifetime-license-expiration/ |archive-date=Dec 12, 2025 |website=Android Police}}</ref> The company started by cancelling free subscriptions in 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitman |first=Ryan |date=Aug 20, 2015 |title=[Update: Official Statement] Many Cerberus Free 'Lifetime' Licenses Are Expiring In A Few Days Because Developers Gotta Eat |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2015/08/20/many-cerberus-free-lifetime-licenses-are-expiring-in-a-few-days-because-developers-gotta-eat/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251212222638/https://www.androidpolice.com/2015/08/20/many-cerberus-free-lifetime-licenses-are-expiring-in-a-few-days-because-developers-gotta-eat/ |archive-date=Dec 12, 2025 |website=Android Police}}</ref> then in 2019 went on to cancel the paid "lifetime" subscriptions for all users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Padla |first=Rei |date=December 23, 2019 |title=Cerberus starts expiring paid lifetime licenses |url=https://androidcommunity.com/cerberus-starts-expiring-paid-lifetime-licenses-20191223/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722041029/https://androidcommunity.com/cerberus-starts-expiring-paid-lifetime-licenses-20191223/ |archive-date=July 22, 2025 |website=Android Community}}</ref>

Users initially received an email<ref>{{Cite web |title=Important news on your Cerberus account |url=https://static1.anpoimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/cerberus-persona-announcment.png |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708184110/https://static1.anpoimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/cerberus-persona-announcment.png |archive-date=Jul 8, 2025}}</ref> on 20 February 2018, notifying them of a new app that would require a subscription plan. However users were reassured that their purchased lifetime license for the anti-theft app would still continue to function.

Users then received another email on 5 February 2019, notifying them of new functionality of the app that would require a subscription plan. However users were reassured that their purchased lifetime license for the anti-theft app would still continue to function:

Then without any further communication, on 20 December 2019 users were notified that their paid "lifetime" subscriptions would expire soon, and that they needed to buy a licence if they wanted to continue using the software they'd already paid for:

These actions led to a backlash from paying users on forums,<ref>{{Cite web |date=Sep 14, 2015 |title=Android security app Cerberus gives out free lifetime licenses, revokes later |url=https://www.neogaf.com/threads/android-security-app-cerberus-gives-out-free-lifetime-licenses-revokes-later.1111712/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215182412/https://www.neogaf.com/threads/android-security-app-cerberus-gives-out-free-lifetime-licenses-revokes-later.1111712/ |archive-date=Feb 15, 2025 |website=NeoGAF}}</ref> {{wplink|Reddit}},<ref>{{Cite web |date=Dec 23, 2019 |title=CERBERUS APP - Collective complaint - lifetime license but received a message that my license is expiring. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/eehsmz/cerberus_app_collective_complaint_lifetime/?rdt=36871 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260223034034/https://old.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/eehsmz/cerberus_app_collective_complaint_lifetime/?rdt=36871 |archive-date=2026-02-23 |website=Reddit - r/androidapps}}</ref> and review sites.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cerberusapp |url=https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cerberusapp.com?page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250519083429/https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cerberusapp.com |archive-date=2025-05-19 |website=Trustpilot}}</ref> However, no major news sources covered the backlash.

===Strict ad blocker prevention (202x)===

{{Main|Cerberus Phone Security Login with ad blocker no longer possible}}

When users attempt to log into the Cerberus dashboard with an ad blocker enabled, the user is instantly logged out and a popup is shown telling the user to disable ad blocker. However, another option is to purchase an "ad removal" for ~$120 USD.

==References==

[[Category:Cerberus]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Incomplete}}
-Cerberus Phone Antitheft is an app designed to be a suite of services centered on security.
+{{ProductLineCargo
+|ArticleType=Product
+|Category=Software, Security
+|Company=LSDroid
+|Description=Cerberus Phone Antitheft is an app designed to be a suite of services centered on security, developed by LSDroid.
+|InProduction=Yes
+|Logo=Cerberus logo.png
+|ReleaseYear=2011
+|Website=https://www.cerberusapp.com
+}}
+Cerberus Phone Antitheft<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cerberus: Anti-theft, Phone tracker, MDM, Personal safety |url=https://www.cerberusapp.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260122104009/https://www.cerberusapp.com/ |archive-date=22 Jan 2026 |website=www.cerberusapp.com}}</ref> is an app designed to be a suite of services centered on security, developed by LSDroid.
-== Anti-consumer practices ==
+==Anti-consumer practices==
-Recently the application has faced controversy over expiring licenses that were sold as being "lifetime", and are alleged to delete complaints from forum. The company started by cancelling free subscriptions, but complaints of it cancelling paid lifetime subscriptions have recently been reported.<ref>https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/12/21/cerberus-paid-lifetime-license-expiration.</ref>
-== References ==
+===Expiring lifetime licenses (201x)<!-- Someone needs to contact the article author so I or someone else can add those supporting images -->===
-<references />
+The application has faced controversy over expiring licenses that were sold as being "lifetime", and are alleged to delete complaints from forum.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vonau |first=Manuel |date=Dec 21, 2019 |title=Paid Cerberus 'lifetime' licenses are expiring, customers are mad (Update: Complaints deleted from forum) |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/12/21/cerberus-paid-lifetime-license-expiration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251212200020/https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/12/21/cerberus-paid-lifetime-license-expiration/ |archive-date=Dec 12, 2025 |website=Android Police}}</ref> The company started by cancelling free subscriptions in 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitman |first=Ryan |date=Aug 20, 2015 |title=[Update: Official Statement] Many Cerberus Free 'Lifetime' Licenses Are Expiring In A Few Days Because Developers Gotta Eat |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2015/08/20/many-cerberus-free-lifetime-licenses-are-expiring-in-a-few-days-because-developers-gotta-eat/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251212222638/https://www.androidpolice.com/2015/08/20/many-cerberus-free-lifetime-licenses-are-expiring-in-a-few-days-because-developers-gotta-eat/ |archive-date=Dec 12, 2025 |website=Android Police}}</ref> then in 2019 went on to cancel the paid "lifetime" subscriptions for all users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Padla |first=Rei |date=December 23, 2019 |title=Cerberus starts expiring paid lifetime licenses |url=https://androidcommunity.com/cerberus-starts-expiring-paid-lifetime-licenses-20191223/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722041029/https://androidcommunity.com/cerberus-starts-expiring-paid-lifetime-licenses-20191223/ |archive-date=July 22, 2025 |website=Android Community}}</ref>
+Users initially received an email<ref>{{Cite web |title=Important news on your Cerberus account |url=https://static1.anpoimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/cerberus-persona-announcment.png |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708184110/https://static1.anpoimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/cerberus-persona-announcment.png |archive-date=Jul 8, 2025}}</ref> on 20 February 2018, notifying them of a new app that would require a subscription plan. However users were reassured that their purchased lifetime license for the anti-theft app would still continue to function.
+Users then received another email on 5 February 2019, notifying them of new functionality of the app that would require a subscription plan. However users were reassured that their purchased lifetime license for the anti-theft app would still continue to function:
+<currently blocked from adding supporting image>
+Then without any further communication, on 20 December 2019 users were notified that their paid "lifetime" subscriptions would expire soon, and that they needed to buy a licence if they wanted to continue using the software they'd already paid for:
+<currently blocked from adding supporting image>
+These actions led to a backlash from paying users on forums,<ref>{{Cite web |date=Sep 14, 2015 |title=Android security app Cerberus gives out free lifetime licenses, revokes later |url=https://www.neogaf.com/threads/android-security-app-cerberus-gives-out-free-lifetime-licenses-revokes-later.1111712/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215182412/https://www.neogaf.com/threads/android-security-app-cerberus-gives-out-free-lifetime-licenses-revokes-later.1111712/ |archive-date=Feb 15, 2025 |website=NeoGAF}}</ref> {{wplink|Reddit}},<ref>{{Cite web |date=Dec 23, 2019 |title=CERBERUS APP - Collective complaint - lifetime license but received a message that my license is expiring. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/eehsmz/cerberus_app_collective_complaint_lifetime/?rdt=36871 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260223034034/https://old.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/eehsmz/cerberus_app_collective_complaint_lifetime/?rdt=36871 |archive-date=2026-02-23 |website=Reddit - r/androidapps}}</ref> and review sites.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cerberusapp |url=https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cerberusapp.com?page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250519083429/https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cerberusapp.com |archive-date=2025-05-19 |website=Trustpilot}}</ref> However, no major news sources covered the backlash.
+===Strict ad blocker prevention (202x)===
+{{Main|Cerberus Phone Security Login with ad blocker no longer possible}}
+When users attempt to log into the Cerberus dashboard with an ad blocker enabled, the user is instantly logged out and a popup is shown telling the user to disable ad blocker. However, another option is to purchase an "ad removal" for ~$120 USD.
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
+[[Category:Cerberus]]